twenty years after(二十年后)-第30章

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windows　of　which　opened　on　one　side　on　a　garden；　on　the
other　on　a　hot…house　full　of　magnificent　flowers。
D'Artagnan　glanced　at　the　dinner　service。　The　plate　was
magnificent；　old；　and　appertaining　to　the　family。　D'Artagnan
stopped　to　look　at　a　sideboard　on　which　was　a　superb　ewer　of
silver。
〃That　workmanship　is　divine！〃　he　exclaimed。
〃Yes；　a　chef　d'oeuvre　of　the　great　Florentine　sculptor；
Benvenuto　Cellini；〃　replied　Athos。
〃What　battle　does　it　represent？〃
〃That　of　Marignan；　just　at　the　point　where　one　of　my
forefathers　is　offering　his　sword　to　Francis　I。；　who　has
broken　his。　It　was　on　that　occasion　that　my　ancestor；
Enguerrand　de　la　Fere；　was　made　a　knight　of　the　Order　of　St。
Michael；　besides　which；　the　king；　fifteen　years　afterward；
gave　him　also　this　ewer　and　a　sword　which　you　may　have　seen
formerly　in　my　house；　also　a　lovely　specimen　of　workmanship。
Men　were　giants　in　those　times；〃　said　Athos；　〃now　we　are
pigmies　in　comparison。　Let　us　sit　down　to　supper。　Call
Charles；〃　he　added；　addressing　the　boy　who　waited。
〃My　good　Charles；　I　particularly　recommend　to　your　care
Planchet；　the　laquais　of　Monsieur　D'Artagnan。　He　likes　good
wine；　now　you　have　the　key　of　the　cellar。　He　has　slept　a
long　time　on　a　hard　bed；　so　he　won't　object　to　a　soft　one；
take　every　care　of　him；　I　beg　of　you。〃　Charles　bowed　and
retired。
〃You　think　of　everything；〃　said　D'Artagnan；　〃and　I　thank　you
for　Planchet；　my　dear　Athos。〃
Raoul　stared　on　hearing　this　name　and　looked　at　the　count　to
be　quite　sure　that　it　was　he　whom　the　lieutenant　thus
addressed。
〃That　name　sounds　strange　to　you；〃　said　Athos；　smiling；　〃it
was　my　nom　de　guerre　when　Monsieur　D'Artagnan；　two　other
gallant　friends　and　myself　performed　some　feats　of　arms　at
the　siege　of　La　Rochelle；　under　the　deceased　cardinal　and
Monsieur　de　Bassompierre。　My　friend　is　still　so　kind　as　to
address　me　by　that　old　and　well　beloved　appellation；　which
makes　my　heart　glad　when　I　hear　it。〃
〃'Tis　an　illustrious　name；〃　said　the　lieutenant；　〃and　had
one　day　triumphal　honors　paid　to　it。〃
〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃　inquired　Raoul。
〃You　have　not　forgotten　St。　Gervais；　Athos；　and　the　napkin
which　was　converted　into　a　banner？〃　and　he　then　related　to
Raoul　the　story　of　the　bastion；　and　Raoul　fancied　he　was
listening　to　one　of　those　deeds　of　arms　belonging　to　days　of
chivalry；　so　gloriously　recounted　by　Tasso　and　Ariosto。
〃D'Artagnan　does　not　tell　you；　Raoul；〃　said　Athos；　in　his
turn；　〃that　he　was　reckoned　one　of　the　finest　swordsmen　of
his　time　　a　knuckle　of　iron；　a　wrist　of　steel；　a　sure　eye
and　a　glance　of　fire；　that's　what　his　adversary　met　with。　He
was　eighteen；　only　three　years　older　than　you　are；　Raoul；
when　I　saw　him　set　to　work；　pitted　against　tried　men。〃
〃And　did　Monsieur　D'Artagnan　come　off　the　conqueror？〃　asked
the　young　man；　with　glistening　eye。
〃I　killed　one　man；　if　I　recollect　rightly；〃　replied
D'Artagnan；　with　a　look　of　inquiry　directed　to　Athos；
〃another　I　disarmed　or　wounded；　I　don't　remember　which。〃
〃Wounded！〃　said　Athos；　〃it　was　a　phenomenon　of　skill。〃
The　young　man　would　willingly　have　prolonged　this
conversation　far　into　the　night；　but　Athos　pointed　out　to
him　that　his　guest　must　need　repose。　D'Artagnan　would　fain
have　declared　that　he　was　not　fatigued；　but　Athos　insisted
on　his　retiring　to　his　chamber；　conducted　thither　by　Raoul。

15
Athos　as　a　Diplomatist。

D'Artagnan　retired　to　bed　　not　to　sleep；　but　to　think　over
all　he　had　heard　that　evening。　Being　naturally　goodhearted；
and　having　had　once　a　liking　for　Athos；　which　had　grown　into
a　sincere　friendship；　he　was　delighted　at　thus　meeting　a　man
full　of　intelligence　and　moral　strength；　instead　of　a
drunkard。　He　admitted　without　annoyance　the　continued
superiority　of　Athos　over　himself；　devoid　as　he　was　of　that
jealousy　which　might　have　saddened　a　less　generous
disposition；　he　was　delighted　also　that　the　high　qualities
of　Athos　appeared　to　promise　favorably　for　his　mission。
Nevertheless；　it　seemed　to　him　that　Athos　was　not　in　all
respects　sincere　and　frank。　Who　was　the　youth　he　had　adopted
and　who　bore　so　striking　a　resemblance　to　him？　What　could
explain　Athos's　having　re…entered　the　world　and　the　extreme
sobriety　he　had　observed　at　table？　The　absence　of　Grimaud；
whose　name　had　never　once　been　uttered　by　Athos；　gave
D'Artagnan　uneasiness。　It　was　evident　either　that　he　no
longer　possessed　the　confidence　of　his　friend；　or　that　Athos
was　bound　by　some　invisible　chain；　or　that　he　had　been
forewarned　of　the　lieutenant's　visit。
He　could　not　help　thinking　of　M。　Rochefort；　whom　he　had　seen
in　Notre　Dame；　could　De　Rochefort　have　forestalled　him　with
Athos？　Again；　the　moderate　fortune　which　Athos　possessed；
concealed　as　it　was；　so　skillfully；　seemed　to　show　a　regard
for　appearances　and　to　betray　a　latent　ambition　which　might
be　easily　aroused。　The　clear　and　vigorous　intellect　of　Athos
would　render　him　more　open　to　conviction　than　a　less　able
man　would　be。　He　would　enter　into　the　minister's　schemes
with　the　more　ardor；　because　his　natural　activity　would　be
doubled　by　necessity。
Resolved　to　seek　an　explanation　on　all　these　points　on　the
following　day；　D'Artagnan；　in　spite　of　his　fatigue；　prepared
for　an　attack　and　determined　that　it　should　take　place　after
breakfast。　He　determined　to　cultivate　the　good…will　of　the
youth　Raoul　and；　either　whilst　fencing　with　him　or　when　out
shooting；　to　extract　from　his　simplicity　some　information
which　would　connect　the　Athos　of　old　times　with　the　Athos　of
the　present。　But　D'Artagnan　at　the　same　time；　being　a　man　of
extreme　caution；　was　quite　aware　what　injury　he　should　do
himself；　if　by　any　indiscretion　or　awkwardness　he　should
betray　has　manoeuvering　to　the　experienced　eye　of　Athos。
Besides；　to　tell　truth；　whilst　D'Artagnan　was　quite　disposed
to　adopt　a　subtle　course　against　the　cunning　of　Aramis　or
the　vanity　of　Porthos；　he　was　ashamed　to　equivocate　with
Athos；　true…hearted；　open　Athos。　It　seemed　to　him　that　if
Porthos　and　Aramis　deemed　him　superior　to　them　in　the　arts
of　diplomacy；　they　would　like　him　all　the　better　for　it；　but
that　Athos；　on　the　contrary；　would　despise　him。
〃Ah！　why　is　not　Grimaud；　the　taciturn　Grimaud；　here？〃
thought　D'Artagnan；　〃there　are　so　many　things　his　silence
would　have　told　me；　with　Grimaud　silence　was　another　form　of
eloquence！〃
There　reigned　a　perfect　stillness　in　the　house。　D'Artagnan
had　heard　the　door　shut　and　the　shutters　barred；　the　dogs
became　in　their　turn　silent。　At　last　a　nightingale；　lost　in
a　thicket　of　shrubs；　in　the　midst　of　its　most　melodious
cadences　had　fluted　low　and　lower　into　stillness　and　fallen
asleep。　Not　a　sound　was　heard　in　the　castle；　except　of　a
footstep　up　and　down；　in　the　chamber　above　　as　he
supposed；　the　bedroom　of　Athos。
〃He　is　walking　about　and　thinking；〃　thought　D'Artagnan；　〃but
of　what？　It　is　impossible　to　know；　everything　else　might　be
guessed；　but　not　that。〃
At　length　Athos　went　to　bed；　apparently；　for　the　noise
ceased。
Silence　and　fatigue　together　overcame　D'Artagnan　and　sleep
overtook　him　also。　He　was　not；　however；　a　good　sleeper。
Scarcely　had　dawn　gilded　his　window　curtains　when　he　sprang
out　of　bed　and　opened　the　windows。　Somebody；　he　perceived；
was　in　the　courtyard；　moving　stealthily。　True　to　his　custom
of　never　passing　anything　over　that　it　was　within　his　power
to　know；　D'Artagnan　looked　out　of　the　window　and　perceived
the　close　red　coat　and　brown　hair　of　Raoul。
The　young　man　was　opening　the　door　of　the　stable。　He　then；
with　noiseless　haste；　took　out　the　horse　that　he　had　ridden
on　the　previous　evening；　saddled　and　bridled　it　himself　and
led　the　animal　into　the　alley　to　the　right　of　the
kitchen…garden；　opened　a　side　door　which　conducted　him　to　a
bridle　road；　shut　it　after　him；　and　D'Artagnan　saw　him　pass
by　like　a　dart；　bending；　as　he　went；　beneath　the　pendent
flowery　branches　of　maple　and　acacia。　The　road；　as
D'Artagnan　had　observed；　was　the　way　to　Blois。
〃So！〃　thought　the　Gascon　〃here's　a　young　blade　who　has
already　his　love　affair；　who　doesn't　at　all　agree　with　Athos
in　his　hatred　to　the　fair　sex。　He's　not　going　to　hunt；　for
he　has　neither　dogs　nor　arms；　he's　not　going　on　a　message；
for　he　goes　secretly。　Why　does　he　go